No place like home: 2026/2027 performance Season
CELEBRATING 102 YEARS!
This 2026/2027 marks 102 years that The Youngstown Playhouse has provided community theatre to Youngstown and the surrounding areas. This season’s line-up continues to bring a variety of genres to the stage with a mix of classics and contemporary shows that will take audiences through a full range of emotions: love, mystery, adventure, joy, and hope.
“There’s a reason the phrase “No Place Like Home” still tugs at our heartstrings – it’s where stories feel closest, laughter rings louder, and every seat holds a neighbor. This season, our stage becomes your living room, filled with unforgettable performances that will bring us together in the best ways. The Youngstown Playhouse has proudly kept the lights glowing for generations of theatregoers. Come home to the magic… your seat is waiting.”
– Dr. John Cox, Board President
IN THE HEIGHTS
Music, Lyrics, & Book by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Quiara Alegría Hudes
Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Directed by Caitlyn N. Santiago
August 28 – September 6, 2026
Main Stage
ABOUT THE SHOW
With a Tony Award winning score by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Disney’s Moana), In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.
THE BROTHERS GRIMM SPECTACULATHON (ONE-ACT)
A YP YOUTH THEATRE PRODUCTION
By Don Zolidis
Directed By Shiloh Hart
October 2 – 4, 2026
Main Stage
ABOUT THE SHOW
In The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, Two narrators attempt to recreate all 209 of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm in a wild, fast-paced extravaganza. To make it more difficult, they attempt to combine them into one gigantic fable using Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and other more obscure stories like Lean Lisa and The Devil’s Grandmother. A wild, free-form comedy with lots of madcap fun.
CHICKEN & BISCUITS
By Douglas Lyons
Directed by Dr. Lundeana Thomas
November 20 – 29, 2026
The Playhouse Downtown
ABOUT THE SHOW
Can sisters Baneatta and Beverly bury their father without killing each other? In this celebration of Black joy, grief and healing, an extended family is brought back to St. Luke’s Church to inter their patriarch, Bernard Jenkins. Family stressors abound as Beverly shows up to the chapel with her “blessings” on display, Baneatta’s son brings his neurotic Jewish boyfriend along and Beverly’s nosy daughter keeps asking questions no one wants to answer. Meanwhile, Baneatta’s husband Reginald tries to keep the peace, but when a shocking family secret reveals itself at the pulpit, the two sisters are faced with a truth that could either heal or break them.
Told with warmth and delicacy, Chicken & Biscuits is a touching and often hilarious ode to the people in our lives we don’t choose. Full of down-to-earth wisdom and laugh-out-loud family squabbles, Douglas Lyons’ work is a crowd-favorite, no matter what relationship you might have with your siblings.
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Music & Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Directed by Connor Bezeredi
January 22 – 31, 2027
The Playhouse Downtown
ABOUT THE SHOW
Six spellers enter, but only one can win The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! This charmingly witty and touching musical has entertained audiences across the world since its Tony-winning Broadway debut in 2005. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fast-paced and funny D-E-L-I-G-H-T. As six wonderfully unique and impassioned contestants vie for the championship by spelling their way through vexing vocabulary, hilarious and poignant personal stories unfold…along with a dash of riotous audience participation. Declared by The New York Times as an “irresistible musical” that is “refreshingly handcrafted, effortlessly endearing, and riotously funny,” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee delivers an unforgettable experience that is sure to leave audiences spellbound.
DISNEY’S THE LION KING JR.
A YP YOUTH THEATRE PRODUCTION
Music & Lyrics by Elton Jon & Tim Rice
Add Music & Lyrics by Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, & Hans Zimmer
Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi
Based on the Broadway Production Directed by Julie Taymor
Originally Produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Group
Directed by Sindy Hanna
February 19 – 21, 2027
Main Stage
ABOUT THE SHOW
Based on the 1994 Disney animated feature film of the same name and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Disney’s The Lion King Jr. is the story of Simba, an adventurous and energetic lion cub who is next in line to be king of the Pride Lands, a thriving and beautiful region in the African savanna. When Simba’s father Mufasa is killed by his uncle Scar, though, Simba is led to believe that his father’s death is his fault, and he is encouraged to run away forever. Scar seizes power and with his already unstable mind deteriorating, the Pride Lands experiences a darkness and desolation from which only Simba can save the animals of the kingdom. Featuring classic songs from the film such as “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” Disney’s The Lion King Jr. is a story and a spectacle about identity, family, and responsibility that is enjoyed worldwide by people of all ages.
THE FATHER: A TRAGIC FARCE
By Florian Zeller
Translated by Christopher Hampton
Directed by Frank Martin
April 16 – 25, 2027
The Moyer Room
ABOUT THE SHOW
Now 80 years old, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he’s losing control.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
By L. Frank Baum
Music & Lyrics by Harold Arlen & E. Y. Harburg
Background Music by Herbert Stothart
Dance & Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard
Orchestrations by Larry Wilcox
Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros.
Directed by Tyler Stouffer
May 21 – 30, 2027
Main Stage
ABOUT THE SHOW
Follow the yellow brick road in this delightful stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale, featuring the iconic musical score from the MGM film. The timeless tale, in which young Dorothy Gale travels from Kansas over the rainbow to the magical Land of Oz, continues to thrill audiences worldwide. Featuring all the songs you know and love such as “Over the Rainbow,” “If I Were King of the Forest,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” and “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead,” The Wizard of Oz is perfect for the whole family.
SHE KILLS MONSTERS: YOUNG ADVENTURERS EDITION
A YP TEENS PRODUCTION
By Qui Nguyen
Directed by Isa Foltz
June 18 – June 20, 2027
The Playhouse Downtown
ABOUT THE SHOW
Now 80 years old, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he’s losing control.
2025/2026 Season Flex Passes
ON SALE FRIDAY, JUNE 27
2025/2026 Flex Pass subscriptions will go on sale Friday, June 27 and available in three pricing tiers, passes are valid for four (4) performances within the season.